Eckrich Introduces Lower Sodium Smoked Sausage

Cincinnati-Ohio.-based John Morrell Food Group, a subsidiary of Smithfield foods, introduces Lower Sodium Smoked Sausage, a 13-oz. unique product delivering 33 percent less sodium as compared to USDA data for smoked sausage, enabling consumers who are watching their sodium intake to continue to enjoy the same great taste of Eckrich smoked sausage they've always loved. Eckrich Lower Sodium Smoked Sausage is the first of its kind in the smoked sausage category and extends Eckrich's smoked sausage product line to provide greater choice to consumers.

Technomic Inc. research shows that 66 percent of U.S. consumers say sodium is their top concern when looking at food labels, and more than half actively seek out food items with lower sodium. Eckrich is able to make this delicious smoked sausage by using a breakthrough all-natural sodium alternative, providing full flavor with one-third less sodium as compared with other smoked sausage products. The patented salt replacement tastes and functions just like salt without delivering the same sodium levels.

"We looked at a great deal of research showing that there's a group of consumers who are looking for food options with less sodium," says Charles Gitkin, vice president, marketing, innovation and R&D for the John Morrell Food Group. "We are now able to deliver a product that has the same great taste of Eckrich with less of the sodium they are trying to avoid."

And he adds, "Some companies create reduced-sodium products just by taking salt out, and they wind up taking flavor out in the process. But our natural sodium alternative allows for a one-to-one replacement of salt, so you never know it's missing. You still have full flavor."